Hello,
I have to interview a health professional for my intercultural communication class. If anyone can help me out I would really appreciate it. We were told to find somone on the internet and I have had a really hard time finding someone to answer my question.

What issues and concerns do you identify because of the presence of cultural differences?

How do you deal with the cultural differences?

Do you have any examples of a cultural difference that has affected your job?

Anything else that you can tell me about cultural differences in health care would be greatly appreciated.

Dear Lissa,
I hope your intercultural communication class will enable you to find ways to appreciate the marvelous variety of cultures represented in our immediate and extended world! Whether you are a healthcare professional yourself, or in a business entity other than healthcare, you will find the ability to communicate accross multicultural lines not only a saleable asset, but an incredible adjunct to fulfilling your own tasks ever better than you could imagine!
Always frame your questions of discovery in a deliberately friendly tone of voice, with acceptance throughout the body language and wording. Recognize that every one on this planet is a stranger in another stranger's land, and that everyone on this planet deserves to be accepted as they are, with all their inherited biases, values, and even prejudices. After all, we all have them. We make all our choices for life based on our basic princilples, and sets of moral principles that we were either raised with or that we have adopted to our own base electively.
There are so many cultural variances, that to try to spin them down to an easy set of discovery questions is impossible,
On the immediate side of a reply, I can suggest that you read all you can of the myriad of books and internet material that offers quick "at a glance" side by side comparisons of religious specifics, death and passage beliefs, and health and healing viewpoints. Just recognizing that everyone has a slightly different spin on the subject will allow you in all circumstances to seek to understand the other's perspective before pushing your own. The extent to which certain major cultures are adamant about being true to their beliefs regarding health, diet, and dying, is in some ways merely an expansion of a single individual bonding with others with like views. To acknowledge that everyone has a right to his and her own perspective is the mark of a true professional. Sometimes to know that one's beliefs are not the object of derision, is sufficient for that individual to be equally open to entertaining a different point of view. After all, we will defend the "who we are" al all costs - if we do not feel threatened, we are all more likely to consider other perspective. And, once the doors of communication have been opened by the keys of acceptance, then the process of ddiscovery has begun.
I will be happy to assist your further if I may.